The goal for the Denny's brand Twitter account has always been simple: don't sound like a brand Twitter account. By straightforwardly using the platform as a user would (i.e., with natural language, awareness of current and relevant events and pop culture, a brisk and off-the-cuff style and response time, not pandering with outdated advertisements or promotions), we planned to separate ourselves from the deluge of corporate try-hardness flooding the landscape. In short? Be a part of the community, not an intrusion; to connect with our fans in an organic way. So, when we caught wind that the new iPhone 7 would be water-resistant and also be losing the traditional headphone jack, we saw the perfect opportunity to hop in the conversation…and make it about Denny’s.

Apple held another keynote in an attempt to convince us all that we can’t live without their newest, shiniest, walkie-talkie tool. The presentation was long, the stage was black, and when all was said and done, the premier international tech company unveiled an array of products and updates that got everyone excited. But not us. At Denny’s, we felt like the ball was dropped. So, naturally, we took the opportunity to let Apple know. We shared two custom gifs, reminding Apple and our fans that anything can be waterproof if you don’t mind it getting wet. And also served up some pro bono ideas on what could properly replace the now-absent headphone jack.

The tweets combined for nearly 13,000 retweets and 18,000 likes, generating over 13.4 million earned media impressions including features on Forbes, msn, The Huffington Post, People, Complex, BuzzFeed, and Digiday. Even Carson Daly appreciated our stomach-focused solution for the headphone jack debacle, featuring the tweets in a segment on the Today Show. All in all… It was another successful Apple keynote… for Denny’s.